Methylmethacrylate/phenylmaleimide copolymer and styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer

Abstract

Polymer alloys containing copolymers of methylmethacrylate/N-phenylmaleimide are disclosed. In one embodiment the polymer alloy is an alloy of methylmethacrylate/N-phenylmaleimide and styrene/maleic anhydride. In another embodiment, the polymer alloy is an alloy of methylmethacrylate/N-phenylmaleimide and styrene/maleic anhydride/N-phenylmaleimide.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A polymer alloy comprising a first and a second polymer wherein, (a) the first polymer is a random copolymer consisting essentially of recurring units of methylmethacrylate and recurring units of N-phenylmaleimide; and   (b) the second polymer is selected from the group consisting essentially of a random copolymer of recurring units of styrene and from about 9.5 to about 12.5 weight percent recurring units of maleic anhydride and a random terpolymer of recurring units of styrene, from about 6 to about 9 weight percent recurring units of maleic anhydride and from about 3 to about 8 weight percent recurring units of N-phenylmaleimide.   
     
     
       2. The polymer alloy of claim 1 in which said second polymer is a random copolymer of styrene/maleic anhydride. 
     
     
       3. A polymer alloy of claim 1 in which said second polymer is a random terpolymer of styrene/maleic anhydride/N-phenylmaleimide. 
     
     
       4. The polymer alloy of claim 1 in which said first polymer is present in an amount within the range of from about 1 to 99 weight percent based on the polymer matrices. 
     
     
       5. The polymer alloy of claim 1 in which said second polymer is present in an amount within the range of from about 1 to 99 weight percent based on the polymer matrices. 
     
     
       6. The polymer alloy of claim 1, in which in said first polymer N-phenylmaleimide is from about 1 to about 50 weight percent. 
     
     
       7. The polymer alloy of claim 1 in which in said first polymer methylmethacrylate is from about 99 to about 50 weight percent. 
     
     
       8. The polymer alloy of claim 2 in which said second polymer is from about 9.5 to about 12.5 weight percent maleic anhydride and from about 90.5 to about 87.5 weight percent styrene. 
     
     
       9. The polymer alloy of claim 3 in which said second polymer is from about 91 to about 84 weight percent styrene, from about 6 to about 9 weight percent maleic anhydride and from about 3 to about 8 weight percent N-phenylmaleimide. 
     
     
       10. The polymer alloy of claim 1 comprising a styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer and containing at least 30 weight percent of said first copolymer of the total polymers. 
     
     
       11. The polymer alloy of claim 1 comprising a styrene/acrylonitrile/N-phenylmaleimide terpolymer. 
     
     
       12. The polymer alloy of claim 1 in the form of a molded article. 
     
     
       13. A method of producing a molded article which comprises: (a) preparing a polymer alloy comprising a first and a second polymer wherein, (i) the first polymer is a random copolymer consisting essentially of recurring units of recurring units of methylmethacrylate and recurring units of N-phenylmaleimide; and   (ii) the second polymer is selected from the group consisting essentially of a random copolymer of recurring units of styrene and from about 9.5 to about 12.5 weight percent recurring units of maleic anhydride and a random terpolymer of recurring units of styrene, from about 6 to about 9 weight percent recurring units of maleic anhydride and from about 3 to about 8 weight percent recurring units of N-phenylmaleimide; and     (b) molding the resulting polymer alloy.